Traditionally, eyeglasses have not contained or made any use of electrical components. In recent years, attempts to include electrical components within eyeglasses have had limited success. For example, a small electrical component, such as a microphone, might be provided in or attached to an eyeglass frame. Unfortunately, however, larger scale electrical components are not easily provided in or attached to an eyeglass frame. Eyeglasses frames tend to be very compact and lightweight and thus have little space for electrical components. Moreover, since eyeglass frames are often fashionable items whose designs are important, there are substantial design tradeoffs involved with providing or attaching electrical components to eyeglass frames.
For many people, prescription eyeglasses are indispensable due to defects in their eyesight. Even for those who do not wear prescription glasses, it is very popular for people to wear sunglasses. In other words, many of us constantly carry at least one pair of glasses with us.
People also often separately wear or carry a pedometer. The traditional physical principal of a pedometer is that a pendulum mechanism moves as the gravity shock of a user's foot striking the ground occurs, and the movement of the pendulum is measured by counting pulses (e.g., electrical pulses). Pedometers are typically special purpose electrical devices worn by persons interested in determining how far they have walked. One good place to wear a pedometer is around one's waist. To be more accurate, users of pedometers have to enter stride information. This enables the distance traveled to be determined from a number of steps taken. Also, if one's weight is entered, the pedometer can determine calories consumed. For more strenuous activities than walking, pedometers tend to lose their effectiveness. In any event, a separate electrical device needs to be carried to monitor a user's activity.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved approaches to facilitate use of electrical components with eyeglasses.